


Winter Nights

by ASimpleCherryTree



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Cuddling, M/M, POV Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Peterpatter, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing Clothes, ruke - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28184685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASimpleCherryTree/pseuds/ASimpleCherryTree
Summary: Being dead is way different than being alive
Relationships: Luke Patterson/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 76





	Winter Nights

December 9, 1993. We were staying at Alex’s the night before our first paying gig. Emily didn’t know how far we would get and was actually really supportive of Luke at first. Alex hadn’t come out yet. My dad hadn’t lost his job yet. We were excited about what the world had in store for us.

Alex went to the gas station for snacks, so Luke and I hung out in his basement.

“Do you know where he keeps his blankets?” I asked. “I’ve only been here once.”

“I don’t think Alex gets cold,” Luke said. “He wears his denim jacket when it’s forty degrees out.”

“That sucks. I get cold; I don’t have enough meat on my bones.”

“I get cold. Why don’t you wear this?” Luke took his sweatshirt off and wrapped it around my shoulders. “This is why we don’t wear t-shirts at Alex’s house.”

“Won’t you get cold? I’m still chilly in this.”

“Best way to get warm? Sharing body heat. Come sit on this couch with me.” I sat next to him on Alex’s leather couch. The leather was cool under my fingers so I put my hands in my lap. Luke shook his head and grabbed my hands. “I said we have to share body heat, do you want me to freeze to death?” He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in toward him.

November 22, 2020. “It’s so cold out here,” Julie said, pulling a shrug over her shoulders. “I wish we could practice inside.”

“Ghosts don’t get cold,” Alex said. “Or hot. I can wear my denim jacket in Southern California July.”

“Like you got cold before you were a ghost,” I said. “You had no blankets in your house.”

“We all ran warm. If I slept under a blanket I would suffer from heat exhaustion.”

“You nearly gave me hypothermia.”

“Okay, maybe ghosts don’t get cold,” Julie said. “But I do. I’m grabbing a thicker sweater. I’ll be back. Alex, come with me, I need your opinion.”

“Why?”

“Okay, you got me, I have a secret that Luke and Reggie don’t get to know. Just come with me.”

“Not cool,” Luke said. Alex shrugged and followed Julie outside. “Remember the night before our first gig?”

“You mean out first paying gig?”

“You do remember. You know one of the best parts of being a ghost?”

“What?”

“We wouldn’t get overheated while cuddling. Let’s cuddle on the couch, for old time’s sake.” I blushed a little bit, hopefully enough that Luke wouldn’t notice.

I was going to ask Luke out the night we died. I could have asked him out any time between coming back as ghosts and now, but the time was never right. I almost asked him when we were playing alone in the studio together, but Julie showed up. Part of me knew she would show up, but Luke seemed so excited to play with me. I just about melted when he wrapped his arm around me.

I almost asked him when we were about to die after the Orpheum, but Julie showed up again. I still ended up speaking, but not on purpose. When someone thanks you it’s rude not to respond. It’s a natural response.

I sat next to Luke on the couch and put my hands in my lap again. We’ve cuddled so much, but now it feels awkward. Crushing on your best friend that you already act romantic with is a big ball of awkward.

“Oh, we’re doing this again?” Luke smiled and grabbed my hands. Instead of wrapping his arms around me, though, he held onto my hands. He dropped our hands down by our knees and leaned forward. “I get that we don’t need to share body heat, but I miss you, Reggie.”

“What do you mean? We’re always together.”

“I miss hanging out like this. Just the two of us.”

“We hang out just the two of us all the time. Alex is never here when Julie’s at school.”

“Something changed when we died, Reg. We don’t cuddle anymore.”

“Oh.”

“Did I do something?”

“It’s more about what I didn’t do. I was going to ask you out after Alex fell asleep the night we died. Probably while we cuddled on the couch like we always did before shows. But we died.”

“Does the offer still stand?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper as he inched even closer to me. I didn’t want to speak for fear of squeaking or sounding weird, so I nodded. Luke leaned in and kissed me.

I felt his hair brush against my cheek before I felt his hand. I didn’t even realize that he let go of my left hand until his right hand was touching my face. My right hand was still in his left.

He pulled back. His eyes were sparkling. “Can I tell you something?” he asked.

“Anything.”

“I was going to ask you out after we performed. If only we had better timing.”

“Who cares about timing? We’re here right now.” I let go of his hand and wrapped my arms around him. “And I never want to leave.”

“Sappy, Peters.” Luke and I jumped at the sound of Alex’s voice. “Now I owe Julie a speech.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Luke asked.

“She was asking me about you guys and I told her nothing was going on between you. She said that if there was I have to make a speech about how she’s always right.”

“Here she comes,” Luke said with a big smile. His smile made me smile.

Julie opened the door. “Reggie, can I ask you something?”

“No need, Julie,” Alex said. “You likely already know the answer, because Julie Molina is a genius. She is always right about everything, especially in matters concerning people that she cares about.”

“OH MY GOD.” Julie ran over to the couch. “Timeline, now.”

“December 9, 1993,” I said.

“That long?” Alex asked. “How oblivious am I?”

“No, no, Alex, we’re getting there. Don’t interrupt my stories. Ahem.

“December 9, 1993. Luke and I cuddle in Alex’s freezing cold house. A crush forms. November 7, 1995, 6:45 PM. I was about to ask Luke out. November 7, 1995, 6:53 PM. Declared legally dead. November 22, 2020, 3:17 PM. I told Luke that I was going to ask him out. We kissed and now we’re caught up.”

“I told you,” she said to Alex. “I always know.”

“You know, Reg,” Luke said. “I just love these winter nights.”


End file.
